Auxiliary air-inlet and humidifier for the manifold of an internal-combustion engine.



H. L. WARD.

AUXILIARY AIR INLET AND HUMIDIFIER FOR THE MANIFOLD OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION TILED IAN-21.15MB.

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J7 7U/7f0)? f/Zrrryl. Ward ii if HARRY L. WARD, LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

AUXILIARY AIR-INLET AND HUMIDTFIER FOR THE MANIFOLD OF AN INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 'Uct. ea, mic.

Application filed January 21, 1916. Serial No. (3,330.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY L. WARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Long Beach, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Airlnlets and Humidifiers for the Manifold of an Internal-Combustion Engine, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to an auxiliary air inlet and humidifier for the manifold of an internal combustion engine of'an automobile.

It is an object of this invention to construct an auxiliary air inlet and humidifier for the manifold of an internal combustion engine in which a supply of air and water to the manifold is controlled by a single valve actuated by a single operating means within convenient reach of the driver.

It is another object of this invention to construct an auxiliary air inlet and humidifier of the kind referred to which will not flood the carbureter with water in case the operator should neglect to close the air and water control valve or the cut-off valve in the conduit leading from the water reservoir to said humidifier.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the descriptionproceeds, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed. 4

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, l[ have illustrated a convenient and practical embodiment of my invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine of an automobile showing my device applied to the manifold thereof. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the combined air and water valve attached to the manifold. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33, Fig. 2.

The manifold 10, of an internal combustion engine of a motor driven vehicle is pro vided with a screw threaded aperture 11 adapted to receive in screw threaded relation the threaded end or outlet port 12 of a cylindrical walve casing 13 which slants downwardly therefrom at a slight angle posed between cap 20'and the plunger valve tends to move the latter into closed position. The valve casing 13 is provided at its lower side with a downwardly projecting nipple 22 providing a water inlet port 23 which is counterbored at 24: to receive in screw threaded relation the upper end of a T-shaped needle valve casing 25. The water enters the valve casing at the nipple 26 of the needle valve casing 25, the water being supplied from a water tank 27 secured at any suitable place to the automobile and. connected with nipple 26 by a fluid connection 28. A cutoff valve 31 is provided in said fluid connection whereby the water may be shut OK to the needle valve casing 25. valve 29 controls the water to the port 23, leading into the valve casing 13, said needle valve being rotatably mounted in the lower end of the needle valve casing 25 and provided with a manually operated head 30.

From the foregoing description the operation of the combined air inlet and water valve will be easily understood. The water is supplied from the water tank 27 the cutoff valve 31 being open. The amount of water supplied to the valve casing 13 through the water inlet port 23 is controlled by the adjustment of the needle valve 29. It should be noted that the water inlet port 23 in the valve casing 13 is situated between the air inlet ports 15 and the outlet port 12 A needle 1 leading to the manifold. After the engine has been started and it is desired to feed Water and air so as to properly dilute the gaseous mixture supplied by the carburetor to the engine, the plunger valve 16 is operated. Air will now enter the valve casing through the inlet ports 15 and will be sucked by the action of the engine, into the manifold. It should be noted that the air willfiow in the annular passage formed between the plunger valve 16 and the valve casing 13. The water entering said valve casing from the needle valve casing will be forced along the bottom of the valve casing 13 up the slight inclination and into the manifold by the current of air flowing between the plunger valve 16 and the valve casing 13.

The advantages of proper dilution of the gaseous mixture flowing into the engine when the latter is running at high speed is well understood, likewise the advantages of feeding water with the gaseous mixture. Not only is the action of the internal combustion made more uniform but carbon deposits are prevented. In case carbon deposits are present in the cylinders of the engine, they are softened by the steam generated from the water fed with the gaseous mixture, and are subsequently blown out. I have found that a saving of fuel and a smoother running of the engine is effected by feeding a small quantity of water with the fuel at all times. The maximum proportion of water to liquid fuel may reach as high as 25 per cent. of the fuel consumption. If the operator of the car should neglect to close the cut-off valve 31 in the water feed pipe or the plunger valve 16 which simultaneously controls the air and water feed to the manifold, the flooding of the carbureter will be prevented by reason of the fact that the valve casing 13 is at a slight angle of inclination, and any water flowing from the water inlet port into the plunger valve casing 13 will flow downwardly and out of the .lower air inlet port 15.

It is thus seen that I have devised a combined auxiliary air and water inlet device for the manifold of an internal'combustion engine which is exceedingly simple of construction, positive in operation, controlled by a single operating mechanism from -the drivers seat and which will positively prevent the flooding of the carbureter with water in case the operator fails to shut off the water supply after the engine has been stopped.

I claim:

1. The combination of a manifold of an internal combustion engine of an automobile, a combined air and water valve having an outlet port connected to said manifold, said valve comprising a casing slanting downwardly from said outlet port, a plurality of air inlet ports arranged circumferentiallyon the periphery of said casing, a

water inlet port in the under side of said casing and disposed intermediate said air inlet ports and said outlet port, a valve controlled water feed pipe leading to said water inlet port, a needle valve in said pipe controlling the water feed to said water inlet port, a conical plunger valve slidably mounted in said casing and controlling said air and water inlet ports and manually operated means under the control of the driver for operating said plunger valve.

2. The combination of a manifold of an internal combustion engine of an automobile, a combined air and water valve having an outlet port connected to said manifold, said valve comprising a casing slanting downwardly from said outlet port, a plurality of air inlet ports in said casing, a water inlet port in said casing intermediate said air inlet ports and said outlet port, a valve controlled .Water feed pipe leading to said water inlet port, a conical plunger valve slidably mounted in said casing and controlling said air and water inlet ports and manually operated means under the control of the driver for operating said plunger valve.

3. The combination of a manifold of an internal combustion engine of an automobile, a combined air and water valve having an outlet port connected to said manifold, said valve comprising a casing slanting downwardly from said outlet port, an air inlet port in said casing, a water inlet port in said casing intermediate said air inlet port and said outlet port, a valve controlled water feed pipe leading to said water inlet port, a valve controlling said air and water inlet ports and manually operated means under the control of the driver for operating said valve.

4. The" combination of a manifold of an internal combustion engine, of an automobile, a combined air and water valve having an outlet port connected to said manifold, said valve comprising a casing slanting downwardly from said outlet port, an air inlet port in said casing in the bottom side thereof, a water inlet port in said casing intermediate said air inlet port and said outlet port, valve controlled means for feeding water under pressure to said water inlet port, a valve member controlling said air and water inlet ports, and manually operated means under the control of the driver for operating said valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY L. IVAR D. 

